I’ve been getting a few questions about the cold email sequence I wrote about the other day. Specifically, people want to know if there’s a way for them to send those emails without having their accounts suspended or locked down by Gmail.
The answer, as you might have guessed, is yes but only under certain circumstances. Keep reading to find out how!
| Takeaways |
|---|
| – Stay updated: Keep yourself informed about the latest trends and updates in cold email strategies. |
| – Correct mistakes: Regularly review and correct any errors or misconceptions in your cold email sequences. |
| – Iterate and improve: Continuously refine your cold email sequences based on feedback and performance data. |
| – Personalization matters: Ensure your cold emails are tailored to the recipient’s needs and preferences. |
| – Test and measure: Experiment with different approaches and track the effectiveness of each cold email iteration. |
Get Started With Cold Email
What Is A Cold Email?
A cold email is an email that you send to someone who doesn’t know you and has no reason to expect your message.
This means you can’t ask for something from the recipient, like time or money you have to create value for them before they’ll even consider giving it back (or returning the favor).
Building a successful cold email campaign requires careful planning and execution. Learn how to increase your response rates with our comprehensive guide on cold email strategies that have achieved 5x response rates.
Why Should I Use Cold Emails?
Cold emails are great for getting introductions, building relationships, nurturing leads over time and more!
If there’s anything specific you want out of your outreach efforts, I recommend using cold emails as part of your strategy because they’re more effective than other types of outreach when done correctly.
However, if all you’re looking for is one-off connections then there are other options available such as LinkedIn introductions or attending events where people might recognize your name/company logo/etcetera.”
Source Names And Acronyms
Use the person’s name and title. If you have access to it, use the person’s name and title in your email address, along with their company’s name (if applicable).
This is a good way to make sure that your email doesn’t get buried among other messages; you’ll be more likely to stand out as someone who took time to learn about them as an individual.
Don’t be afraid of acronyms! The word “acronym” is derived from the Greek words for “transfer” and “name.” It refers to an abbreviation formed from initial letters or syllables of several words.
The term was introduced into English by British mathematician Adam Osborne in 1954, who applied it specifically to military designations such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
Crafting a compelling cold email campaign involves various factors that can impact its effectiveness. Discover 14 valuable tips for optimizing your approach in our article on improving your cold email campaign.
Address Formats
How you address your potential customers is just as important as the email itself. You want to consider two things: personalization and branding.
Personalize! It’s a great opportunity to show your personality, which helps build trust with your audience especially if you are targeting people who are not familiar with your brand yet. I love this example from Blue Apron:
Brand! Make sure that the content of the email is consistent with the style and tone of other marketing materials in your company’s portfolio.
So that if someone searches for “Blue Apron” on Google they don’t find an advertisement that looks like spam or feels out of place next to their brand name when they open it up in Gmail or Outlook/Outlook Express/Windows Mail/Eudora Mail (yeah, those were all popular).
Sample Opening Lines
The first line is the most important. It’s what you see when you open a new email and it can have an effect on whether or not you continue reading.
You want to be friendly and direct, but not pushy or spammy. You need to get your point across in a few words, so keep it short and sweet!
Here are some examples:
- “I was just wondering if I could ask for some advice about…”
- “I’m trying to put together an investor deck for my new startup (link). Could we schedule time next week?”
- “Brainstorming ideas for [business challenge] led me here.”
Personalize Your Email
- Personalization
- Use the person’s name, title, company name and location within the first line of your opening paragraph.
This will help you stand out from the crowd and make it easier for them to remember what you’re emailing about later on in your message.
When referencing their company website – use a bit more than just its URL – include a few details about their site like whether it’s an eCommerce site or blog for example. Additionally you could reference their social media channels as well – if they have them!
Be Specific In Your Request
Your request needs to be specific and clear. This is a very simple but often forgotten step, but it’s important.
- Ask for what you want: “I would like a demo of your product/service/etc.”
- Ask for the action you want them to take: “Can I schedule a time for this?”
- Ask for a decision: “Would today be good for us to meet?” or “Do you have any questions about my offer?”
- Ask for feedback on the content of your email (this could include asking if they’re interested in pursuing further communication): “Was my copy effective in explaining our value proposition?” or “Does this make sense?”
The right cold email templates can significantly boost your outreach efforts. Explore a collection of proven cold email templates that are designed to convert and engage your recipients effectively.
Investigate The Company With The Request
Once you’ve determined who’s in charge of the company, it’s time to get some information on what they do. This is important because it’ll help you determine if this is a good fit for your service.
Do they offer a service that adds value? Is there demand for what they’re offering? What are the company’s goals and values?
Asking questions like these will help ensure that you’re creating content that speaks to them and their customers, but also getting off on the right foot with your outreach emails.
Make Sure You Request An Informational Or Action-Oriented Task
No matter what you’re selling, the last thing you want is to make your contact feel like they are being pressured into something. Asking for a donation or favor is simply unnecessary.
If you ask for an informational meeting, it can come across as pushy and overwhelming if there wasn’t already some sort of relationship or connection before hand.
The key here is to think about what would be most helpful for your contact and ask them for that specific task rather than asking for their time directly.
Keep It Simple And Short
In any business, it’s always a good idea to keep things simple and short.
That means:
Using short sentences. 2-4 words is ideal for most sentences. It keeps your emails easy to read and understand.
Using short paragraphs. 3-4 sentences should be the max for any paragraph in your email sequence (but if you can keep it to 1 sentence per paragraph, even better). Again, this makes the email easier to read and understand than one giant block of text would be!
Keeping each email within a reasonable length (no more than 200 words). This will help ensure that people have time on their hands when they’re reading through everything you’ve sent them!
Leveraging cold email to achieve tangible results requires a strategic approach. Read about how one marketer managed to gain substantial traction through using cold email effectively and turned potential into real success.
Ask For A Decision In 1-2 Sentences
The last step is to ask for a decision. This should be done in one to two sentences, and not in the body of the email, but at the end. Asking for a decision in an email, phone call or meeting is not effective because people get distracted by other things and don’t focus on your question.
Asking for a decision at the very end of your cold email sequence will ensure that your prospect feels like they’ve made progress toward making up their mind about working with you.
And if they don’t respond right away (like they might have done earlier), they’ll know exactly what they need to do next time so that you can continue moving forward together.
Use This As A Template For All Correspondence
This template is meant to be used as a guide for all your emails. Don’t deviate from it in any way, shape, or form. Don’t add paragraphs or images; don’t change the template in any way; don’t remove paragraphs from the template (if you do, you’re probably not going to get hired).
Finally, please do not add a signature or closing paragraph at the end of this email it’s already been done for you!
Takeaway: Emails Help You Build Relationships And Get Things Done
- Emails are a great tool for building relationships and getting things done.
- Email can be used to build relationships and get things done.
Mastering the art of cold email outreach is essential for both marketers and salespeople. Find out how to refine your strategy by checking out our comprehensive guide to cold email for marketers and salespeople that covers crucial aspects of successful outreach.
Conclusion
Never lose sight of the fact that an email is a powerful tool for reaching out to people and accomplishing your goals.
You can use it to build relationships, ask questions and make requests and even get things done. By following the tips in this article, you’ll be well on your way to making the most of this powerful tool!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources for further reading on cold email strategies:
Cold Email Sequence Examples: Explore a variety of real-world examples of effective cold email sequences to gain insights into successful outreach strategies.
The Cold Email Template That Won 16 New B2B Customers: Learn about a specific cold email template that achieved impressive results by winning over 16 new B2B customers.
Understanding Cold Email Sequences: Discover the concept of cold email sequences and how they can be utilized to engage prospects and nurture leads effectively.
FAQs
What are the key components of a successful cold email sequence?
A successful cold email sequence typically includes a compelling subject line, personalized content, clear value proposition, and a strong call-to-action.
How can I improve my cold email open rates?
To improve open rates, craft attention-grabbing subject lines, segment your audience, and send emails at optimal times for your target recipients.
What’s the importance of follow-up emails in a cold email sequence?
Follow-up emails are crucial to remind recipients, address any concerns, and provide additional value, increasing the chances of eliciting a response.
How do I avoid my cold emails being marked as spam?
To avoid spam filters, use authentic sender information, personalize emails, avoid excessive use of capital letters and symbols, and include an easy way to unsubscribe.
How many emails should be included in a cold email sequence?
The ideal number of emails in a cold email sequence varies, but it often ranges from 3 to 5 emails, spaced strategically to maintain engagement without overwhelming the recipient.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.